What happened
On May 7, 2023, at approximately 20:30 UTC, a Piper PA-11, registration LV-YHT, was conducting a recreational flight near the Pigüé aerodrome in Buenos Aires province. The flight's purpose was to observe a local motor racing competition. After 12 minutes of flight in visual meteorological conditions, the aircraft entered a loss of lift during the transition from the base leg to the final approach. Due to the low altitude at the time of the stall, the pilot was unable to recover the aircraft before it struck the ground approximately 2 and 250 meters southeast of the runway 22 threshold. The impact caused the propeller to strike the earth and the engine to stop. The two occupants sustained minor injuries and were able to exit the aircraft on their own.
The investigation
The Argentine Transportation Safety Board (JST) conducted a field investigation, inspecting the wreckage and interviewing the pilot. The investigation examined the structural damage, which included significant breakage to the left wing fabric, the left main landing gear, the tail cone, and the carburetor. Mechanical checks of the engine, fuel systems, and ignition were performed, and all systems were found to be functioning satisfactorily prior to the event.
Investigators also analyzed the flight path. While the pilot described the event as occurring during a standard traffic pattern, the physical evidence and final position of the aircraft suggested a deviation from the standard circuit. The evidence indicated the aircraft may have been flying at a very low altitude over the racing event area before attempting to realign with the final approach.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a loss of lift at a low altitude, which prevented recovery before ground impact.
- Evidence suggests the aircraft deviated from the standard traffic pattern, likely performing low-altitude maneuvers over the automotive competition.
- There was no evidence of mechanical failure or adverse meteorological conditions contributing to the accident.
- The aircraft's maintenance logs contained incomplete information regarding total cycles.
- The accident was not reported to the authorities in a timely manner.